Tag: State Representative Justin Holland

Mr. Speaker, I read the duties of the Speaker of the House from your own website. Nowhere on that list of duties do I see a duty to autocratically obstruct the will of the people, as expressed by the majority seating before you.

I know you as a gentleman. Will you remain a gentleman in the special session?

If you believe Governor Greg Abbott’s agenda unpopular, bring all the items to the floor for a vote to prove your point.

The speaker is the presiding officer of the house of representatives. The Texas Constitution requires the house of representatives, each time a new legislature convenes, to choose one of its own members to serve as speaker.

As presiding officer, the speaker maintains order during floor debate, recognizing legislators who wish to speak and ruling on procedural matters. The constitution also requires the speaker to sign all bills and joint resolutions passed by the legislature. As a member of the house of representatives, the speaker may vote on all questions before the house.

The other duties and responsibilities of the speaker are determined by the members of the house in the House Rules of Procedure, which are adopted by a majority vote of the members at the beginning of each regular session of the legislature. The members give the speaker the authority to appoint the membership of each standing committee, subject to rules on seniority, and to designate the chair and vice chair for each committee. Under the rules, the speaker is responsible for referring all proposed legislation to committee, subject to the committee jurisdictions set forth in the rules. The rules also allow the speaker to appoint conference committees, to create select committees, and to direct committees to conduct interim studies when the legislature is not in session.

In the formative years of our Republic, while organized as a confederacy, before ratification of the Constitution, representatives of the thirteen states unsuccessfully quibbled over this or that trade policy.

At the Constitutional convention of 1787, founding father John Adams pointed to the central issue: widespread ignorance of economics fundamentals, saying, “All the perplexities, confusion and distress in America arise not from defects in the Constitution or Confederation, not from a want of honor or virtue so much as from downright ignorance of the nature of coin, credit, and circulation.”

The common American ignores economics until it bites him where the sun doesn’t shine. And when he or she feels the bite, anger erupts. Anger, when properly directed is good. God invented anger to motivate us in the right direction.

A great chasm of ignorance of economics divides liberals and conservatives. The first subscribes to Marxist socialism; the other (generally) to principles of free-market capitalism.

How are the two thoughts different? Socialism is an economic theory. Why a theory? It shall forever remain an economic theory BECAUSE IT HAS NEVER AND CAN NEVER BE PROVEN.

Capitalism, by contrast, is a natural system of economics. It is the exchange of goods and services among a free people. By natural, I mean this is God’s idea of economics. Examples?

The Daily Caller’s Phillip Stuckey was undercover with protesters that stormed The Heritage Foundation this morning (25 April 2017).

The above story reveals how Democrat protesters are paid actors and they do not represent the citizens, but are tools of the corrupt leaders who control all things Democrat.

Clue Number 2

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List, said there is an “enormous disconnect” between rank-and-file Democrats — one-quarter to one-third of whom identify as pro-life — and party leadership, to whom abortion is sacrosanct.

The Democratic Party prefers a minority of persons experiencing GID – gender identity disorder – over the constitutional rights of America’s women and children.

In Summary

The Democratic Party is the party of atheist, bigots, racists, death, and anarchists. Let’s thrown a deep and abiding relationship with Marxists-socialists.

The clearest demarcation between hardcore Democrats and the rest of us is the official militant pro-death, pro-abortion plank in the Democrat party platform.

I was a Democrat who was born and raised in south Texas where everyone was a Democrat. I can’t recall even one person who would admit to being a Republican. Most of us were Harry Truman Democrats.

Jimmy Carter’s election was the turning point for me. I campaigned for him and I voted for him, but four years later I voted in the Republican primary for Ronald Reagan and a slate of Republican candidates.

The following is from an email from Texas SD-2 Senator Bob Hall. I fully agree with SB 1356. Please read his message and respond with your input. Pilots in command and drivers behind the wheel bear responsibility for harm to fellow travelers, whether airborne or zipping down a public thoroughfare. – John White, Rockwall, Texas

Senate Bill 1356, A Real Solution to “Texting While Driving”

The Texas House has passed and the Senate has considered in committee legislation that would create a misdemeanor offense of using a handheld device to read, write, or send a text-based communication while operating a moving vehicle that is not stopped. Regrettably, the proposed solution will actually increase vehicle accidents.

Distracted driving that results in a vehicle accident (18 percent of all accidents) is a serious problem that needs a serious solution. But research does not support the banning of hand-held electronic devices to solve this issue. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (a premier organization on the issue) has multiple studies that show no decrease in accidents when cell phone bans were implemented. In fact, in many instances, accidents actually increased after the ban. Also, the data shows that prohibiting the use of cell phones has done little to stop the use of cell phones while driving. Banning is not the answer.

Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2013 show distracted driving accounted for 10 percent of all fatal crashes. Of that 10 percent of accidents, only 14 percent of crashes involved the use of a cell phone. In other words, 86 percent of fatal “distracted driving” accidents were caused by activity other than cell phones which was only 1.5 percent of all accidents.

“Distracted driving” is more serious than just cell phone use.

Distracted driving includes all distractions.

Texting bans do not reduce accidents.

2013 Data:

Total injured – 2,213,000 (100 percent)

Distracted driving – 424,000 (18 percent)

Cell phone use – 34,000 (1.5 percent)

Senate Bill 1356 would provide that any person causing a collision from the operation of a moving motor vehicle commits an offense if the person is engaged in an activity that is not related to the operation of the motor vehicle and interferes with the driver’s ability to pay attention to the road. An offense would be a Class C misdemeanor for minimal damage, or a state jail felony if the collision results in serious bodily injury or death.

The bill would prohibit local authorities from regulating or prohibiting distracted driving, ending the patchwork of regulation we currently have in place. Existing statutes prohibiting the cell phone use by minor drivers and cell phone use in school zones would not be affected.

If we want to improve vehicle safety and reduce the problem of distracted driving, we must address the whole distracted driving issue, not just a fraction of it. An accident caused by a distraction other than cell phone use is no less serious than the one caused by an individual on their cell phone. And, if the statistics are correct, it is much more likely to occur.

That is why I have filed Senate Bill 1356 which would address the reduction of distracted driving accidents by focusing on the punishment of the consequences, rather than the banning of any specific activity. Driving is a serious responsibility and failure to recognize that should be treated seriously.

If you have input on this item, please provide them to my Legislative Director, Kathi Seay. She can be reached by email at Kathi.Seay@senate.texas.gov or by phone at 512.463.0102.

If you are interested in reading other pending bills and sending any comments to our office, they may be found at http://www.legis.texas.gov/.

As always, I appreciate the opportunity to represent you in the Texas Senate.

In an email today, the ACLU says, “North Carolina should truly repeal its unjust HB2 law that permits discrimination against LGBT people — and we’re calling on the NCAA to refuse to allow championship games to take place in NC until that happens.”

What’s wrong with the above ACLU complaint? Let’s do a little reality check.

While the left’s popular euphemism for homosexuality is the acronym LGBTQ, homosexuality remains a same-sex attraction.

Here’s the fun part. Are you ready, ACLU?

Men who are afflicted with same-sex attraction have no interest in the invasion of women’s restrooms, dressing rooms, and gymnasium showers. Homosexual men prefer men. Is this too deep for you? I’ll pull back and elaborate somewhat.

Women with same-sex attraction are not interested in men. Like homosexual men, they have no interest in the invasion of men’s restrooms, dressing rooms, and gymnasium showers. Does this help?

The North Carolina HB2, like a similar bill before the Texas Legislature, was crafted to protect vulnerable women and children from sexual predators, guys who wish to walk into women’s restrooms, dressing rooms, and gymnasium showers with impunity. These heterosexual males are perverts and creeps who are generally unwelcome in the aforesaid facilities reserved for women and young children.

I know, I know. I’ve written some facts about life that challenge your baseless complaints, but you will eventually gain understanding (aka common sense) if you re-read the above several times, clicking your heels together while repeatedly saying, “I’m not in the women’s restroom. I’m not in the women’s restroom. I’m not in the women’s restroom.”

Texas Asset Forfeiture Actions

Forfeiture actions have become common in drug cases and white collar crime cases. Additionally, Texas forfeiture law has been expanded to apply to any felony of the first or second degree in the Texas Penal Code, as well as numerous expressly listed offenses contained in other codes.

Allowing local law enforcement officials to keep a substantial amount of the proceeds obtained from seizing contraband for their own official use gives the police and prosecutors an improper incentive to overzealously pursue civil forfeitures. This asset forfeiture system often leads to corruption, particularly in Texas where the police and prosecutors are allowed to keep the property they seize.

How Police Can Seize Your Property Without A Trial

In just over a decade, Texas law enforcement collected more than half a billion dollars, $540.7 million, in cash and personal property from Texans suspected of breaking the law. Known as civil asset forfeiture, this legal practice leaves average Texans vulnerable to having their assets seized by police, no trial or proof of guilt necessary.

Texas is among the worst states in the nation for civil asset forfeiture abuse. The Institute for Justice’s “Policing for Profit” report gave Texas a D+ and said the state leads the nation in average annual forfeiture proceeds, at roughly $41.6 million. Read more from the DMN

Financial Incentives Corrupt Good Government

Back in the day when tiny Lavon, Texas had a meager population fewer than 400 souls, that Collin County city was a notorious speed trap. The city’s police force included four full-time officers and 12 reserve officers.

Lavon city law enforcement claimed the department was merely protecting its citizens, but police officers were writing tickets for all manner of things from one mile per hour over the posted speed limit to tinted windows that allegedly exceeded state-mandated limits.

Bottom line: After the Texas Legislature limited the share of traffic fines, the city reduced the size of its police department and today Lavon is no longer a speed trap.

The overall effectiveness of government is inextricably dependent on public trust. A 2011 FBI law enforcement bulletin stated, “In terms of public trust for law enforcement, recent polls show that only 56 percent of people rated the police as having a high or very high ethical standard as compared with 84 percent for nurses.”

In the wake of the Obama administration, public trust in law enforcement is at an all-time low as mobs take to the streets of major metropolitan areas and leftist organizations like the ACLU and the BLM movement oppose legitimate law enforcement.

Call for Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform in Texas

The 85th Texas Legislature has before it Senate Bill 380 carried by State Senator Konni Burton (R-Colleyville) to dramatically reform civil asset forfeiture in our state.

candidates across the nation and, in particular, President Donald Trump and Governor Greg Abbott. As Col. Allen West, a resident of Dallas, Texas, stated on his website, “You want to know why the left has been losing elections all over America? Here is an example. You want to know why the left will continue to lose elections in America…here is why. There can no longer be any debate; the liberal progressive left has become totally unhinged and will stop at nothing to undermine our society.“

The work of Texas Republicans is by no means finished. We must not allow our beloved state to fall into the abyss of lawlessness and corruption we see happening in California today. The actions of progressive leftists like George Soros, Barack Obama, Hillary & Bill Clinton, Elizabeth Warren, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, “Cold Cash” John Wiley Price, and all the well-known Democrats who openly declare disdain for our freedoms and our Judeo-Christian heritage.

What’s happening in Dallas County and all our major Texas urban populations underscores the absolute necessity of dealing with voter fraud. There is also the obvious challenge of educating voters on the history of our nation and the role of a constitutional republic.

The Rule of Law assures justice for all citizens. As Martin Luther King, Jr. famously wrote while unlawfully jailed in the Baltimore, MD jail: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Democrats subordinate the rights of citizens to illegal aliens, the rights of women and children to sexual perverts and deviants, and the Rule of Law to public disorder.

I remind the reader that the Democrat Party does not represent the majority of hard-working Americans who want to make America great again. We won. They lost. Let’s act like we won and stand against the lawless spirit of anarchy that has overtaken Democrat office holders.

The following news story underscores the anti-American stance of the Democrat Party.

Oath Keepers – Guardians of the Republic
Oath Keepers is a non-partisan association of currently serving military, reserves, National Guard, veterans, Peace Officers, and Fire Fighters who will fulfill the Oath we swore, with the support of like minded citizens who take an Oath to stand with us,